Weather and Traffic

Miller not panicking over 0-2 league start

The unveiling of the Atlantic 10 schedule last summer may have generated a collective groan among the Dayton coaches, knowing how daunting a task their team would face in opening with VCU on the road and Butler at home.

Those A-10 newcomers were the flagship programs in their leagues before coming aboard in the offseason, and they’ve lived up to their billing by climbing into the national polls.

“It’s been a bear,” UD coach Archie Miller said of the early schedule. “I think one of the big things is, at the end of the day, let’s put it all in perspective. Let’s not lose our minds. We’re not that bad. We just have to find a way to get better. We’re in a great league. We have to keep competing.”

UD’s taxing conference stretch continues with a road game Wednesday at La Salle, which was picked to finish seventh in the 16-team league. The Explorers are 11-4 overall and 1-1 in the A-10 with nonleague wins over Villanova and Penn State.

The Flyers (10-6), who have dropped four of their last six games, desperately need more consistency from their veterans. If they don’t come around, Miller won’t be afraid to shake up the rotation.

In the two A-10 games, senior point guard Kevin Dillard has averaged 15 points but has 10 turnovers with four assists. Junior guard Vee Sanford is just 7-for-22 from the field, although he scored 10 straight points for the Flyers against Butler in one second-half stretch.

Junior wing Devin Oliver, the A-10 leader with 9.1 rebounds per game, has gone 5-for-19 from the field, 0-for-5 on 3-pointers and 6-for-11 on foul shots. And senior forward Josh Benson has averaged 4.0 points and 3.5 rebounds in two foul-plagued outings.

The freshmen, though, are making a case for more prominent roles. Forward Dyshawn Pierre had 14 points and nine rebounds and guard Khari Price 10 points against Butler.

“I thought they were excellent,” Miller said. “They were excellent on defense, too.

“I don’t want to take anything away from Jalen (Robinson) and Devon (Scott), either. Both of those guys were in the heat of battle. The only thing you can say as a coach to these guys is keep working, keep getting better and maybe their time isn’t COMING, maybe their team is now.

“That’s what they have to start thinking about. Gobble more minutes up. Go get them — because they’re there for the taking.”

Wednesday’s game

Dayton at La Salle, 7 p.m., Fox Sports Ohio, 95.7, 1290

Popular in Sports

1

2

3

Reader Comments
...

Next Up in Sports

West Michigan may have the Midwest League’s best record, but you couldn’t blame the Whitecaps if a little doubt started to set in. Dayton pitchers Scott Moss and Tony Santillan would be the reason, because it’s likely they’ll face the Whitecaps in the first two games of the MWL playoffs, which begin at Fifth Third Field on Sept...

Phillip Ervin may be a late-bloomer, but the Cincinnati outfielder has arrived in the majors with bang. Ervin hit a two-run homer to snap a tie in the seventh inning and had four RBIs in his first major league start as the Reds rebounded from blowing a nine-run lead to defeat the Chicago Cubs 13-10 on Thursday. Ervin, in right field in his fifth game...

NBA champion Kevin Durant says he will not visit President Donald Trump at the White House if the Golden State Warriors are invited, according to a story on ESPN. "Nah, I won't do that," Durant, the 2017 NBA Finals MVP, told ESPN Thursday. "I don't respect who's in office right now." ﻿The White House has not officially extended...

In his football career, both playing and coaching, Shane Cahill has experienced success at every level. Cahill, 26, played on three regional finalist teams at West Jefferson High School. He was an all-conference linebacker at Urbana University, helping the Blue Knights to the most wins in program history in a four-year span (26). And the last three...

The following are area high school football games that will be aired on radio, TV and/or the internet. If your station or webcast isn’t listed, email your information and schedule to sports@coxohio.com. Thu. Aug. 24: Alter at Fairmont Thu. Aug. 31: Xenia at Troy Thu. Sept. 7: Bellbrook at Tecumseh Thu. Sept. 14: Lebanon at Beavercreek Thu. Sept...